Founding Fathers

The Founding Fathers are the leaders who founded the United States, especially the 40 dignitaries who signed the U.S. Constitution at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence.

The following persons are among the more commonly known Founding Fathers:

• George Washington
• Alexander Hamilton
• Thomas Jefferson
• James Madison
• Benjamin Franklin
• Thomas Paine
• John Jay
• Gouverneur Morris
• John Witherspoon
• George Mason
• John Adams
• Roger Sherman
• Charles C. Pinckney
• Patrick Henry
• Samuel Adams

Signatories of the Declaration of Independence

John Adams Samuel Adams Josiah Bartlett Carter Braxton Charles Carroll Samuel Chase Abraham Clark George Clymer William Ellery William Floyd Benjamin Franklin Elbridge Gerry Button Gwinnett Lyman Hall John Hancock Benjamin Harrison John Hart Joseph Hewes Thomas Heyward, Jr.

William Hooper Stephen Hopkins Francis Hopkinson Samuel Huntington Thomas Jefferson Francis Lightfoot Lee Richard Henry Lee Francis Lewis Philip Livingston Thomas Lynch, Jr. Thomas McKean Arthur Middleton Lewis Morris Robert Morris John Morton Thomas Nelson, Jr. William Paca John Penn

Robert Treat Paine George Read Caesar Rodney George Ross Benjamin Rush Edward Rutledge Roger Sherman James Smith Richard Stockton Thomas Stone George Taylor Matthew Thornton George Walton William Whipple William Williams James Wilson John Witherspoon Oliver Wolcott George Wythe

Signatories of the United States Constitution

Abraham Baldwin Richard Bassett Gunning Bedford, Jr. John Blair William Blount David Brearly Jacob Broom Pierce Butler Daniel Carroll George Clymer Jonathan Dayton John Dickinson William Few Thomas Fitzsimons Benjamin Franklin Nicholas Gilman Nathaniel Gorham Alexander Hamilton Jared Ingersoll

Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer William Samuel Johnson Rufus King John Langdon William Livingston James Madison James McHenry Thomas Mifflin Gouverneur Morris Robert Morris William Paterson Charles Cotesworth Pinckney Charles Pinckney George Read John Rutledge Roger Sherman Richard Dobbs Spaight George Washington (president of the Convention) Hugh Williamson James Wilson William Jackson (Secretary)

Sources

The Constitution of the United States of America

http://www.foundingfathers.info/documents/constitution.html http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/constitution.html

The Bill of Rights

http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/bill_of_rights.html

Founding Fathers Quotes

http://www.marksquotes.com/Founding-Fathers/ http://www.dojgov.net/Liberty_Watch.htm

Examples:

"Any people that would give up liberty for a little temporary safety deserves neither liberty nor safety." Benjamin Franklin

"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered." Thomas Jefferson

"The Constitution of most of our states (and of the United States) assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed and that they are entitled to freedom of person, freedom of religion, freedom of property, and freedom of press." Thomas Jefferson

http://patriotpost.us/histdocs/

Founding Fathers Quotes on Religion

http://www.eadshome.com/QuotesoftheFounders.htm

The National Archives

http://www.archives.gov/ http://www.archives.gov/historical-docs/ http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/index.html